Representatives of eleven environmental groups: Conservation Law Foundation; Environment Massachusetts; Pew Environment Group; Environment America; Conservation Network; Natural Resources Defense Council; Oceana; Ocean Champions; Environmental Entrepreneurs; and Ocean River Institute., have written to the Secretary of Commerce to thank him for his decision to deny Governor Patrick's request to increase quotas for New England groundfish through emergency action.
January 24, 2011
The Honorable Gary Locke
Secretary
Department of Commerce
1401 Constitution Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20230
Dear Secretary Locke:
We write to thank you for your final decision to deny the request to increase quotas for New England groundfish through emergency action. We appreciate the attention and thoughtful consideration that you, your staff and the leadership of NOAA and NMFS have exercised in making your finding of insufficient new scientific or economic data for an emergency ruling. We hope the Governor brings the issues he has identified to the Council’s attention later this month so that an appropriate record can be developed. We also appreciate Administrator Schwaab’s generous offer to continue to work with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to improve the health of our fish populations.
We note with regret the highly-charged and polarized political context around federal fisheries management in New England, and the particularly unfortunate tone that has been injected into this important civic discourse. We appreciate the professional demeanor and objective consideration of the issues that NOAA and NMFS staffs have displayed throughout this process. It is our hope, and will be our practice, to continue to work toward establishing a culture of debate and discussion on fisheries policy that is based on respect and a common desire to seek lasting science–based solutions.
We must all continue to work toward building the trust, the scientific credibility, and the economic stability on which the health of our Nation’s fisheries depend. We appreciate the commitment you and your senior management team have made to this same objective and look forward to working together with you on that goal.
Thank you again for your sound and thoughtful resolution of this matter.
Sincerely,
Priscilla Brooks, PhD, Vice President and Ocean Program Director, Conservation Law Foundation
Ben Wright, Advocate, Environment Massachusetts
Lee Crockett, Director, Federal Fisheries Policy, Pew Environment Group
Michael Gravitz, Oceans Advocate, Environment America
Bruce J. Stedman, Executive Director, Marine Fish Conservation Network
Sarah Chasis, Senior Attorney and Director, Ocean Initiative Natural Resources Defense Council
Beth Lowell, Federal Policy Director, Oceana
Mike Dunmyer, Executive Director, Ocean Champions
Berl Hartman, New England Chapter Director, Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)
Rob Moir President and Executive Director Ocean River Institute
CC:
NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco
NOAA Assistant Administrator Eric Schwaab